Many industrial processes such as oil refining and polymer production require filtration of high temperature, high pressure gas streams to separate particles such as catalyst particles, waste particles, or other solids from the gas streams. A prior high temperature gas filtration system includes a vessel and a support plate or tube sheet which divides the vessel into upper and lower chambers. The tube sheet has a plurality of threaded apertures which receive a plurality of threaded filter elements for filtering a gas stream as it passes from one chamber to the other. One problem associated with such a filtration system is that gulling or fusing of the filter elements to the tube sheet may occur along the threaded surfaces under certain circumstances. As a result, the filter elements may be difficult to remove from the tube sheet and may be damaged during such removal.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,960,448 to Zievers discloses another high temperature gas filtration system including a plurality of filter elements and a support plate having a plurality of apertures for receiving the filter elements, each aperture being surrounded by a ring extending upwardly from the support plate. Each filter element is connectable to the support plate using a pair of rods which extend through aligned holes in a respective ring and across the top of the filter element in abutment therewith. The rods, however, are typically difficult to install and remove, and cannot be adjusted to vary the compressive force exerted on a respective filter element to compensate for such things as gasket or seal yield.
Accordingly, a need exists for a filter assembly for use with a high temperature gas filtration system having a support member, wherein the filter assembly can be quickly and easily connected to and removed from the support member.